:offtopic: :offtopic: I have a kitten that is 2 months old. His name is Cleo. He has a trouble playfighting/biting hands, arms, legs, and feet. When we first got him we thought that it was ok and just having fun but we don't want him to do that when he gets older and gets out of controll. Will he still do it? Is it a "kitten" stage of life? We have "mice" (gerbils) that he likes watching but he could never get them. Is that making him do that? He crys then starts biting. He loves playing with my hair and usually only does that when he's hyper. But now he's doing that all the time. Thank you.

:offtopic::offtopic: My Kitten (Cleo) has two ingrown nails. One one his front Left Paw and the other on his front Right Paw, both on the same "finger". Is that going to effect him later on in his life? One has his nail dug into his skin and barely IS a nail. The other is very interesting. It has a nail put almost has two "pink parts" and also is dug into his skin. The way it is growing it also odd. Thank you :thumbs up

Love4himies

September 2nd, 2010, 02:56 PM

First off, welcome to the forum.

You state your kitten is only 2 months old :(, too young to be away from his momma and siblings, who would be teaching him how to play socially. Anyways, if you want this behaviour to stop, you must stop all play with hands and feet. No exceptions and 100% consistency would be required for this to work ;). You can redirect play with one of his toys. He will get the message. If he played too rough with his siblings, they would run away from him and not play with him.

You could also get him a playmate this same age to keep him occupied :D A kitten is very active and needs stimulation to exhaust him.

As for the nails, please take your kitten to your vet to have a peek at, ingrown nails are very painful :(.

Lauren D

September 2nd, 2010, 04:34 PM

Today he bit me right below the eye when I was holding him. I turning a corner and I moved my head. He saw that as a moving object and bit. There is a patch of red. He is very playful and was raised on a farm with not very much care. The nights are getting colder and I am sure he was staying outside most of the time. Getting another kitten is possible since all the kittens there are free, but with my family I don't think thats much of an option. I hope everything works out. Thank you everybody who will help.

chico2

September 2nd, 2010, 05:07 PM

LaurenB,please take the kitten to the vet,I had a cat once with a nail growing in to his paw-pad,a very painful thing:(
It is possible he's in pain and that's why he bit your face:confused:

Love4himies

September 2nd, 2010, 05:18 PM

Today he bit me right below the eye when I was holding him. I turning a corner and I moved my head. He saw that as a moving object and bit. There is a patch of red. He is very playful and was raised on a farm with not very much care. The nights are getting colder and I am sure he was staying outside most of the time. Getting another kitten is possible since all the kittens there are free, but with my family I don't think thats much of an option. I hope everything works out. Thank you everybody who will help.

If he broke the skin with his teeth, keep a very close eye on it for infection and the first sign go to your doctor. Cat bites can be very dangerous.

Chico could have a point that the bite could be from pain. Please see your vet about those claws. :pray:

Socialization of a kitten is very important while they are young. You could try hissing at the kitten to see if your kitten gets the message that biting hard is not acceptable, but please don't yell or hit it will only make matters worse.

Taking care of 2 kittens is actually easier than taking care of one. They occupy and poop each other out. Feeding and cleaning of litter boxes is really not much more work. And you will be doing a wonderful thing by rescuing a kitty from living a horrible, dangerous life outside. ;)

Lauren D

September 2nd, 2010, 05:46 PM

No he can not make me bleed since he is only 2 months. I don't think he is in much pain with the nails but I am going to a vet with him. I am also wanting to know if you need a personal vet for your cat? I am getting him neutered, and was wondering if he needs to be a certain age. Getting back to the main problem, getting another cat also equals spaying or neutering, worms shots and pills, food and more litter since it will go faster. I will think about it since my mom is helping me pay for him because I don't have any money right now. I try to keep him occupied but today I was watching TV and he kept jumping on the couch and trying to bite me. When I'm gone and no one is in the house he crys. I am hoping he'll be ok when no one is home and he is awake. Thank you for helping me.

Love4himies

September 2nd, 2010, 05:59 PM

Of course he is crying, he is a baby and is lonely :( and he needs to be occupied while he is awake and he needs to burn energy. The biting while you were on the couch was to get your attention.

Spaying and neutering is a one time shot. Worming is not something that needs to be done regularly unless they hunt or get fleas.

I don't believe cats need annual shots, yes they should have initial ones, but keeping them inside keeps them away from diseases and safe.

Neutering should be done at about 6 months, any later you risk having him mature sexually which could include spraying.

Not sure what you mean by a personal vet, you can usually just call a vet office, let them know you have a kitten and make an appointment.

Good luck.

Lauren D

September 2nd, 2010, 06:17 PM

I am thinking of him being an indoor cat but everytime I open the door he wants to go out. Should he be an indoor cat forever? I don't think thats fair but will he get used to it? Once he gets of age and can fend for himself should I let him outside? Most adults are outdoor cats and I can think of him livng indoors all of his life! Can I get him neutered within a month or 2? Anyway I will ask and see if I can get another and if not I would like to know what I could to keep him from biting while we are playing with him or doing our own things. Thank you again

Lauren D

September 2nd, 2010, 06:56 PM

And I also want to know if I should get one of his brothers or sisters? Is that ok?

Kalou

September 2nd, 2010, 07:03 PM

I definitely think that you should keep him as an indoor cat. The lifespan of an outdoor cat is extremely short.

As for getting another cat, I know that it would give him a playmate, but on the other hand you have to think of unexpected vet bills if your animal were to ever get sick, so if you are having trouble affording 1 cat, I wouldn't bring in another.

As for the biting, my cat used to do the same. I stopped playing with him with my hands and feet and ignored him completely if he tried to bite. I played with him a lot though until he got tired out which really seemed to help. He has since grown out of the problem completely.

Lots of attention and playtime should stop the problem.

Lauren D

September 2nd, 2010, 07:30 PM

I can afford this one but another one? Can it be from the same litter? Because I might go back and pick up 1 more. My mom had an outdoor cat named Lublu (means love) she's an outdoor cat and she is 15-17 years old. I hope thoughs ideas work. What will life be like without another cat around?

14+kitties

September 2nd, 2010, 11:28 PM

No he can not make me bleed since he is only 2 months. I don't think he is in much pain with the nails but I am going to a vet with him. I am also wanting to know if you need a personal vet for your cat? I am getting him neutered, and was wondering if he needs to be a certain age.

Yes, he can make you bleed even if he is only two months old. As L4H says, keep an eye on your eye. :thumbs up I think what you mean by a personal vet is do you need to have the same vet all the time for your kitten. Yes, it would be a good idea. That way the vet gets to know your kitten, the way it acts, and can possibly pick up on illnesses sooner. The popular age for kittens to be neutered is six months. However, some vets do neuter sooner than that. One vet I have gone to does them once they get to two pounds. Some do it as young as six or seven weeks. Being male I feel it would be better for you to wait till your little one is six months. That way his testicles will have "dropped".

I am thinking of him being an indoor cat but everytime I open the door he wants to go out. Should he be an indoor cat forever? I don't think thats fair but will he get used to it? Once he gets of age and can fend for himself should I let him outside? Most adults are outdoor cats and I can think of him livng indoors all of his life! Can I get him neutered within a month or 2? Anyway I will ask and see if I can get another and if not I would like to know what I could to keep him from biting while we are playing with him or doing our own things. Thank you again

Could you tell us why you don't think it's fair for him to be an indoor only cat? It is sure a lot safer for him unless you can guarantee he can not leave your yard. Even then it may not be totally safe.
Let me ask you some questions and see what answers you come up with......
Is your yard completely fenced in? Including the top so a cat can not scale it? Are you close to a busy road? How will you train your kitten to stay off that, or any other, road? Do you have dogs roaming your area? Do you live in the country where there is a possibility of coyotes? Do you (or your parents) check under the hood of your car every time before you start it? That is a favourite place for outdoor kitties to hide to keep warm in the winter. Is there other wildlife around the kitten may fight with? Are there other cats around to fight with? Do you know what shots the other cats have had if any? Diseases between cats are quite common when you deal with outdoor cats.
Those are only a few questions you should ask yourself when considering letting your cat out. Your mom has been very fortunate to still have her cat at that age with no injuries.

I can afford this one but another one? Can it be from the same litter? Because I might go back and pick up 1 more. My mom had an outdoor cat named Lublu (means love) she's an outdoor cat and she is 15-17 years old. I hope thoughs ideas work. What will life be like without another cat around?

As to whether or not you can afford another cat...... that is something you and your mother will have to sit down and discuss. It sounds like you still live at home with her? Maybe you can start by putting away say 10% of any money you make in a special account just for the cat(s). That way when you have to take one to the vet there will be money available. Or you can make a deal with your mom to pay back a certain amount each month until your debt is paid off. Yes, the kittens can be from the same litter. In fact, that is preferable. They know each other, although they have been away from each other and there will be a small adjustment period, and will have the same socialization issues.

A great site to read is: http://www.squidoo.com/multi-cat-management
It will give you some ideas on how to integrate new kittens with the resident cat(s).

As for playing so the kitten learns never to scratch or bite... every single time the kitten goes to bite say no sharply or clap your hands. Make sure you always have a toy handy to give to the kitten instead of your hands/feet/face. You can get some good toys at dollar stores most times. The wand type are excellent. They are like fishing rods that you can wave for the kitten and engage him for hours. He will love batting at it and jumping for it. You can also get toy mice and hold one end while the kitten plays with the other. That way you are tiring him out and he will be less likely to attack your fingers, etc.
But, as L4H said, the best play thing is always another kitten of similar age. That way they tucker each other out and are less likely to attack you and cause scratches and bites. :thumbs up
Here's a video on clipping cats claws. Also, when you go to the vet to have the kitten health checked and the ingrown claws checked ask them to show you how to trim them yourself. :thumbs up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YLDQMvskH8

Lauren D

September 3rd, 2010, 01:48 AM

Yes I do still live with her and my brother. I will try to answer all your questions. I have no yard. I live in a complex where I am not allowed a cat. Renting. I live on a road that is near a medium level road and farther down is a highway (which I don't think he'll go THAT far). But my road has an odd car go by. No dogs there since we aren't even allowed cats. At my dads house there is coyotes but we let him out on a harness and a ten foot leash that is monitered by someone at all times. We do not check under since we have never let a cat out but if we ever do I'll be sure to keep an eye onn that. Thank You. Yes a lot of cats around but not much are free to go outside, but the ones that do might be checked up on but I have seen two cats fighting from my living room window. I now 3 cats that are let outside but probably there are more. I hope that help you. I am going out to see my moms friend with her and she has two HUGE cats. (Bro and Sis) My mom will ask her how it is having 2 and if she says its good she might have another thought about it :)

Lauren D

September 3rd, 2010, 02:30 AM

My cat has trouble biting when he's trying to play. I tryed not paying any attention to him but he still bites my hands/feet/arms/legs/face. Is it a good idea to get another cat? I need a quick thing that won't take him months to figure out and I only need to do once (my kitten is very dumb). :candle: Uhhg and if I can't get a cat will he be lonely? :shrug: Please him and me! I am hoping that they will keep each other occupied Thanks!!

Lauren D

September 3rd, 2010, 01:23 PM

If I get another family member should I introduce them slowly or just put them together? And if I get one that isn't family can I just put him in since they are all kittens. My kitten is good in car rides and bathes and when I brought him home I wasn't even ready!! He was curious and didn't hide. We fed him tuna until we went to the store the next day or two since we didn't know that we were getting a cat.

14+kitties

September 3rd, 2010, 01:41 PM

You said earlier your mom lets her cat out all the time. Now she doesn't? :confused:
Anyway, please do not let your kitten(s) outside unless they are on harnesses and with you all the time. The outdoors, unless in an area that is completely closed in, is not a safe place for cats. Ever. They are escape artists that can and will find a way out. I was hoping by answering my questions you would see it is not safe to let them out.
Knowing you live in an apartment where you are not allowed cats - I am not sure it is a good idea to bring in another one. What happens if the landlord finds out you have cats? Do you just get rid of the cat(s) or do you move to an apartment that allows them?
I gave you a website to read in an earlier post about introducing cats. :thumbs up
Please avoid feeding tuna to your cat except for treats. It is too salty for kittens/cats and is not a good diet. As an occasional treat it is ok if it is packed in water and not heavily salted. Your kitty needs a good canned food to be at his healthiest. Not dry food or human foods. ;)

catlover2

September 3rd, 2010, 03:15 PM

How old is your cat? Is it still a kitten? Unfortunately, some kitties are taken from their momcat and littermates too early, and it's really between 7-11 weeks that they really learn how to socialize well with other cats and learn to inhibit their bite and control their claws. Taken too early, they often bite harder than otherwise, and biting is a way kitties will use to get another to play. If he bites you in the face, I would give a stern "No" and blow in his face, and then put him down on the floor, and give him a toy to distract him. You have to teach him boundaries of what is and is not acceptable behaviour. A light tap on the nose while saying "No" should be done every time he bites. It may seem cute in a little kitty, but can be annoying and harmful if the cat is older as they can break the skin with their teeth. For a very bold and very obstinate (dumb?) kitty, a slight swat with a newspaper will probably discourage him. It won't hurt him, but may startle him, and you probably only have to do it once or twice before he understands that's a no-no.

Two cats definitely amuse each other if they click well together, and drain off excess energy playing hard.

Lauren D

September 3rd, 2010, 07:34 PM

That cat isn't in my moms care anymore, shes 2 days away by car. That is the most indapentant cat I have ever seen! I live in a 2 story home with that is much larger then an apartment. We will be moving out quite soon. We looked at a house today with a yard with tall wooden fences which would be perfect. Pricey though.
If they found out we would need to find a home or they take him to a farm. :cry: (which has happened before to a friend) :( That will not happen to him though. We have "backup".
We put water in the dryfood. Purina Kitten Chow Frirst Year is the food that we use. He seems to enjoy it and loves it without water too.
We try to avoid tuna but we brought him home by surprise and we didn't know what to do. He s very healthy now and we are going to trim his nails soon.
I did read your website. It was ok but I have only two cats in all. I don't wish for anything more then that. :)

14+kitties

September 3rd, 2010, 08:04 PM

Please do not add water to the dry food. If the food is not eaten quickly molds starts growing within 20 minutes. Hardly an ideal thing for a growing kitten. It is much healthier for your kitten to have wet canned food. Ones with fewer grains/corn and by products are the best. Here's a great site for more info on that........ www.catinfo.org

Lauren D

September 4th, 2010, 12:44 AM

ewww. It says on the package to add water to it. hmm When he is older can I use that food? I don't want it to go to waste and caned food costs a lot.

14+kitties

September 4th, 2010, 02:52 PM

ewww. It says on the package to add water to it. hmm When he is older can I use that food? I don't want it to go to waste and caned food costs a lot.

What exactly are you feeding him? :confused:

chico2

September 4th, 2010, 05:30 PM

14+,I believe she said Purina Kitten Chow:(

Lauren D

September 6th, 2010, 05:34 PM

Yes, I do feed him the cat chow (still with water) but I put some food in with water and little by little we feed him more so it doesnt go to waste. I dont want him to get ill from eating bad food! :sick: He seems healthy but he is going to need some more food soon and I will get him caned or more dry food. Is meat ok? He eats it like its his favorite meal! :rolleyes: We found a rubber band in his litter box and dont want him to eat those kind of things since I'm afraid he'll choke and die. :rip:

Lauren D

September 6th, 2010, 05:53 PM

Catlover2 my cat was exactly 2 months when we got him. I tryed hitting him but he bites what hits him. If there is a body part in reach he'll lunge. I try smacking him when he starts scratching harded but he doesn't know. We have toys but moving objects are more fun! I really want to get him to stop but I can't understand why he can't. He would never bite someone out of hissing, hurting, or bugging him. Only in playtime. He meows at the door when someone goes outside or he sneaks outside and wants to go back out. If we are in the kitchen, and he is meowing-does he want up on the counter or does he want food? :confused: I only let him out really early in the morning or late at night when no one can see. :cat:

14+kitties

September 6th, 2010, 08:32 PM

Catlover2 my cat was exactly 2 months when we got him. I tryed hitting him but he bites what hits him. If there is a body part in reach he'll lunge. I try smacking him when he starts scratching harded but he doesn't know. We have toys but moving objects are more fun! I really want to get him to stop but I can't understand why he can't. He would never bite someone out of hissing, hurting, or bugging him. Only in playtime. He meows at the door when someone goes outside or he sneaks outside and wants to go back out. If we are in the kitchen, and he is meowing-does he want up on the counter or does he want food? :confused: I only let him out really early in the morning or late at night when no one can see. :cat:

Ok - it's time to start being responsible now. DO NOT HIT YOUR KITTEN!! EVER!! He does not know he is doing something wrong. All he wants to do is play. That's it. Period. What is he doing to deserve to be hit? No hitting. No smacking. No nothing. If you can't stop hitting him then take him back to the farm where you got him. At least then he has a chance. This just ticks me off. Man!!
I and others have told you - when he bites give him a toy. Show him what to do for Pete's sake. Don't hit him for trying to play. :( Poor baby. If you get him a toy like I said, a wand type toy, it WILL be moving. Therefore he will go after it. Not your hand. All you have to do is try dragging a piece of yarn behind you or tie a piece of yarn to a toy and play with it with the kitten. He is a baby. It is going to take him a while to learn how to play right. You didn't learn overnight. Why do you think the kitten will?
Could I ask how old you are? Maybe that has a lot of bearing on how you are acting with your kitten. I have a feeling you are not very old at all. :(
Couple of other things. Kittens need MEAT and the proper nutrients that go with it. That means canned/wet kitten food. Not dry food with water added. That is not healthy for your kitten. He will be a very sick boy if you don't start feeding him right.
The other thing..... do not let him outside. EVER. He is too tiny to go outside yet. Definitely not by himself!! Really, you need to learn to look after your baby better. You can't get another kitten till you learn to look after the one you have.
I am sorry if I sound harsh but your kitten does not need to be treated this way. I know you can do much much better. :thumbs up

Love4himies

September 7th, 2010, 08:02 AM

You have accepted this kitten under your care :frustrated:, please do not hit a tiny, baby kitten:mad:. The rougher your are the rougher the kitten will be. Think of yourself as this baby's mother.

Do you have any stuffies about the size of your hand that you can give him so he can grab a hold of it and do "rabbit kicks". What about tying a stuffie to some string and have him chase it?

Please DO NOT allow your kitten outside, how is he going to defend himself? When he meows, he wants either attention or food, he doesn't care if he is outside, he just wants to be with people.

As for the food, please read this link:

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood#The_Dangers_of_Dry_Food

The better informed you are, the better care you can provide to your kitty.

Please think if this kitty as a tiny baby with feelings and think how you would feel if you were lonely and wanted to play with your mom and she would just hit you, or you cried to be with her and she put you outside. Giving your kitty the love that it deserves will be returned to you 1000 fold in the unconditional love this kitty will show back to you. :lovestruck:

Lauren D

September 11th, 2010, 06:23 PM

I dont hit him hard. Lightly. I would want to hurt him!! :( We let him outside and watch him and he never goes that far. I am 17 by the way. He is doing fine now :) . Thank You

14+kitties

September 12th, 2010, 09:41 AM

I dont hit him hard. Lightly. I would want to hurt him!! :( We let him outside and watch him and he never goes that far. I am 17 by the way. He is doing fine now :) . Thank You

At 17 years old you are old enough to learn pet responsibility. Not sure if you picked up on it but you just said you would want to hurt him. I know it's a typo but by doing what you are presently doing you are hurting him.
Have you taken him to the vet yet to have those claws of his checked, his first needles, to be dewormed? All of that is also responsible pet ownership.

When you take on the ownership of a pet there are a few "rules" to follow in order to be responsible. Ask yourself if you would put a six month old baby outside by itself. Of course you wouldn't. That is what you are doing with your kitten. He is essentially a small baby . Why would you risk his life by putting him out by himself? At the very least if you insist on putting him out go out with him on a harness. It only takes a second for him to dash in front of a cars' wheels. :(
Also ask yourself if you would hit that same six month old baby. Again, I hope the answer would be no. Why are you doing that with the kitten? What is he learning except that humans are big bad things that hurt? This means when he is older and he starts exploring more, which he will if you insist on his going out, he is not going to trust any person.

A little scenario for you...... Kitty is being put outside every day because his people don't want to listen to him crying in the house from boredom. It's so much easier to put him out than to listen to him. An easy fix would be ten minutes of playtime with him but they have no time. So out he goes. He has been hit for doing what comes naturally to him. Playing. So he doesn't trust any human. He is at the age when his hormones are kicking in because that's another thing his humans haven't gotten around to doing... fixing him. He can smell a female in heat the next block over so goes looking.
A well intentioned person comes along who is in the position to save him. Let's say this person has watched the kitten being put out for a while and knows eventually he will come to harm. She thinks this is the perfect time to try to get him because he is now wandering further from home so she tries to convince him to come closer. Of course Kitty has no intention of getting close just to get hit so he dashes away..... right in front of a car. He won't have a chance to find out she wanted to help him. He won't have a chance at all..... :rip:

Please reconsider putting him out. Please also reconsider hitting him or "tapping" him. Please take the time to do some reading about being a responsible pet owner. Please please please.......

chico2

September 12th, 2010, 11:30 AM

14+,I agree 150%,well said:thumbs up

Lauren D

September 18th, 2010, 01:03 PM

14+,I agree 150%,well said:thumbs up
ok well he only stays by the house and no cars go by since... well just a contained area. He doen't seem very much like he hates people because he plays with us and purrs in the morning when he see's me. We leave him alone for 5 hours because I have school. I don't hit him anymore. He has puked 4 times and I don't know why. I do not give him much wet food but I give him... both wet and dry. :)

14+kitties

September 18th, 2010, 11:34 PM

ok well he only stays by the house and no cars go by since... well just a contained area. He doen't seem very much like he hates people because he plays with us and purrs in the morning when he see's me. We leave him alone for 5 hours because I have school. I don't hit him anymore. He has puked 4 times and I don't know why. I do not give him much wet food but I give him... both wet and dry. :)

He stays by the house because he is a tiny baby and he is terrified. Soon he will not be a tiny baby and will start exploring further. It may be a contained area but for a cat determined to get out it will not stay contained.
I think you took my story all wrong. I did not say he would hate you. I said he would mistrust people because he knows they hit. :shrug:
If he is throwing up he needs to go see a vet. He should have already been there with his other issues. Please take him in. You said earlier in this thread you could afford to look after him properly.

Love4himies

September 19th, 2010, 08:59 AM

Kittens will dehydrate very quickly, please take your kitten to the vet. Who knows what he got into outside.